Dianthus plant named ‘Coconut Punch’

ABSTRACT

The new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks,  Dianthus  plant named ‘Coconut Punch’ with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a reddish purple margin zone and petal limb base, with highly contrasting white petal center and thin white rim.  Dianthus  ‘Coconut Punch’ is tolerant of high temperatures and resists center die out.

Botanical denomination: Dianthus hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Coconut Punch’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus or Pinks from the genus Dianthus and given the cultivar name ‘Coconut Punch’. The new plant was the result of an intentional cross in May of 2006 by Kevin A. Hurd between ‘Double Spotty’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,884 as the seed parent and ‘Red Dwarf’ U.S. Plant Pat. 14,437 (more often known as ‘Eastern Star’) as the pollen parent. The new hybrid was first isolated from trials at a nursery in Zeeland, Mich. during the summer of 2007. Dianthus ‘Coconut Punch’ has been asexually propagated at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. using traditional shoot tip cutting procedures and found to reproduce plants that are identical and exhibit all the characteristics of the original plant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment including: growing temperature, available sunlight, nutrients, water, etc. without a change in the genotype of the plant. The new plant is distinct from its parents and all other Dianthus known to the applicant in the following combined traits:

-   -   1. Double flowers with high petal counts.     -   2. Highly contrasting light and dark floral pattern.     -   3. High heat tolerance.     -   4. Floriferous habit.     -   5. Vigorous growth and excellent habit.     -   6. Compact, distinctly blue-green foliage.

Cultiver Comparison Table Flower Flower Cultiver color Flower pattern size ‘Apple Slice’ pink dark wine edge 4.5 cm application Ser. and rim No. 12/462,743 ‘Black Cherry Wild’ burgundy solid 4.0 cm application Ser. No. 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ white burgundy edge 3.5 cm application Ser. with white rim No. 12/462,744 ‘Double Spotty’ burgundy white picotee 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge and white 13,884 spots ‘Dragon Fruit’ fuchsia red jagged 3.5 cm application Ser. pink purple bar No. 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ burgundy irregular pink 3.2 cm application Ser. splashing on No. 12/462,746 margin or center ‘Cranberry Ice’ pink dark wine edge 3.3 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. and rim 18,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ light pink magenta edge 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. with burgundy 14,377 base ‘Feuerhexe’ (not pink solid 4.0 cm patented) ‘Devon Xera’ red crimson eye 3.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ red crimson eye 3.5 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ fuchsia crimson ring 3.0 cm application Ser. pink with pink No. 12/462,741 splashing and center ‘Spangled Star’ scarlet small white 4.0 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. red spots and white 13029 picotee edge Petal Plant height Cultiver margin Petal # in flower ‘Apple Slice’ dark wine 20 to 22 cm application Ser. margin 24 No. 12/462,743 ‘Black Cherry Wild’ light rose 16 to 22 cm application Ser. margin 20 No. 12/462,742 ‘Coconut Punch’ reddish 14 to 28 cm application Ser. purple 30 No. 12/462,744 margin ‘Double Spotty’ white 15 to 17 to 30 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20 13,884 ‘Dragon Fruit’ self 14 to 20 cm application Ser. 22 No. 12/462,745 ‘Pomegranate Kiss’ irregular 16 to 16 cm application Ser. pink 22 No. 12/462,746 splashing ‘Cranberry Ice’ dark wine 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. margin 18,342 ‘Devon Siskin’ magenta 5 10 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. edge 14,377 ‘Feuerhexe’ (not self 5 10 to 12 cm patented) ‘Devon Xera’ self 5 15 to 20 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,895 Red Dwarf’ self 5 20 to 25 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,437 ‘Sangria Splash’ crimson with 5 30 cm application Ser. pink No. 12/462,741 splashing ‘Spangled Star’ white 5 17 to 22 cm U.S. Plant Pat. No. picotee edge 13029

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new invention demonstrate the overall appearance of the plant including the unique traits. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Some slight variation of color may occur as a result of lighting quality, intensity, wavelength, direction or reflection.

FIG. 1 shows the new plant at two-years old in flower.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower and bud.

FIG. 3 shows the dissected flower of the new plant together with capsule and seeds.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following detailed description of the new plant is based on observations of several two-year old plants in open-field, full-sun conditions in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental watering, light additions of fertilizer and free of other plant growth regulators. All color usage is in reference to the 2001 edition of The Royal Horticultural Colour Chart except where common dictionary terms are used.

-   Botanical classification: Dianthus hybrid; -   Parentage: ‘Double Spotty’ (female) times ‘Eastern Star’ (male); -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit.—Cespitose, herbaceous, evergreen perennial; stems             proximally branched, erect; height of foliage about 18 cm             and 40 cm across; about 28 cm tall in flower; Root system;             fibrous. -   Foliage: -   Leaf type: Simple, linear, opposite, decussate, sessile, glabrous,     glaucous on adaxial and abaxial; acute apex; base decurrent,     adpressed along stem and somewhat perfoliate; no fragrance detected;     -   -   Leaf dimensions.—About 5 cm long and 3 mm wide.         -   Leaf color.—Nearest RHS 122B adaxial and abaxial sides.         -   Venation.—Finely reticulate, coloration same as that of leaf             top and bottom.         -   Stems.—Erect to arching, terete, glabrous, glaucous,             proximally branching at 4 to 5 nodes.         -   Stem size.—About 28 cm long and 2 mm wide at base.         -   Stem color.—Nearest RHS 122B.         -   Branching.—Numerous from lower leaf axils; about 180 per             plant.         -   Nodes.—4 mm across, RHS N134A.         -   Internodes.—5.0 to 5.5 cm apart. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Terminal, cymose, erect.         -   Flowers per stem.—Usually 4 to 7.         -   Pedicel.—Glaucous, glabrous, terete.         -   Pedicel size.—Usually 3 to 4 cm long and 2 mm diameter.         -   Pedicel color.—Nearest RHS 122A. -   Flowers:     -   -   Type.—Salviform, completely double, symmetrical. Dimension             about 3.5 cm across and extending about 1.5 cm above calyx.         -   Flower bud shape.—Rhomboid to terete.         -   Flower bud size one day prior to opening.—About 2 cm long             and 1 cm wide.         -   Flower bud color.—Glaucous, between RHS 139D and RHS 139C             and with anthocyanin patches between RHS 187B and RHS N187B.         -   Flower period.—Starting early June and after a 2 week rest             continuing until frost.         -   Flower lasting quality.—About one week on or off the plant.         -   Flower fragrance.—Light, sweet spicy, clove-like.         -   Petals.—14 to 30, consisting of a rounded blade or limb and             a claw (enclosed completely within the calyx), obovate, apex             dentate with dentations 3 to 4 mm deep, bearded with minute             hairs mostly on the center of the adaxial surface, bent             outwardly to nearly a ninety degree angle; reddish purple             margin about 5 mm thick and at base of limb on adaxial side             with white rim surrounding red margin.         -   Dimension.—Variable, to 3.2 cm long including claw and limb;             larger petal limbs to 1.2 cm across and 1.0 cm long, smaller             limbs to 3 mm across and 5 mm long; claws range from 1.7 cm             to 2.4 cm long and 2 mm to 4 mm wide about 3 mm from limb;             white rim about 1 to 2 mm wide, reddish purple margin about             3 mm thick and reddish purple at base of petal limb about 5             mm wide.         -   Color.—Adaxial limb: white rim much lighter than RHS 76D;             reddish purple margin RHS 5 base of the petal limb RHS 59A             going down to RHS 64C for about 1 mm before the white top of             the claw much lighter than RHS 69D; abaxial limb: (showing             through from adaxial side) closest to RHS 73D; claw: between             RHS 145B and RHS 145C both sides.         -   Calyx.—Glabrous, glaucous, five-toothed corolla tube fused             in proximal 1.0 cm; about 1.8 cm long and 0.7 cm in             diameter; RHS 147D with some anthocyanin tinting between RHS             187B and RHS N187B.         -   Peduncle.—Glabrous, glaucous, terete, 22 cm long and 2 mm             diameter; RHS N138D.         -   Bracts.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex, about             8 mm long and 7.5 mm wide; RHS N138C in the center, lighter             than RHS 138D at base and margins.         -   Bracteoles.—Two, opposite, broadly obtuse with acute apex,             bases joined at stem; about 6 mm long and 3 mm wide;             glaucous, RHS N138C at apex and center, lighter than RHS             138D at base and margins.         -   Stipules.—None present.         -   Androecium.—Stamens 6, filaments variable in length from 1.2             to 1.8 cm long, less than 1 mm diameter; pale green lighter             than RHS 11D; anther oblong to 2.2 mm long and 1 mm wide,             RHS 164B; pollen rare, pollen color RHS 11D.         -   Gynoecium.—Style usually split in two above ovary, pistil             1.5 cm long and about 1 mm diameter, white, lighter than RHS             11D except for distal 5 mm which are lighter than RHS 77D;             stigma between RHS 76D and RHS 75D.         -   Ovary.—Superior, spindle-shaped; 8 mm long and 3 mm wide;             between RHS 145C and RHS 145 B at distal end and nearest RHS             150D at proximal end. -   Seed: Seeds have not been observed. -   Growth rate: Vigorous, finishing from a 3 cm liner into a 15 cm in 6     to 8 weeks; -   Comparison varieties: The new plant can be compared to the varieties     in the Cultivar Comparison Table. The nearest known comparison     cultivar is ‘Double Spotty’, but the new plant has a white petal     instead of the light rosy pink petal, and the petal rim is a     burgundy instead of the reddish rose of ‘Double Spotty’. -   Disease resistance: The new plant is resistant to center die out     from fungus or high temperatures. The plant grows best with adequate     moisture and well-drained soil, but is able to tolerate high     temperatures and some drought once established. Hardiness at least     from USDA zone 4 through zone 9. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of perennial Carnation or Pinks, Dianthus plant named ‘Coconut Punch’ as herein described and illustrated, with fragrant highly double flowers, petals with a reddish purple margin zone and petal limb base, with highly contrasting white petal center and thin white rim, resistant to high temperatures and center die out, and suitable as a garden ornamental, potted plant and for cut flower arrangements. 